HOPE

It's been too long a silence and I'm finding it hard to begin...

Twenty-five and moving on...

This month, I have just celebrated my 25th birthday. I did a search on the biblical significance of the number twenty-five months before my birthday. The number five signifies grace and redemption. Twenty is the number of expectation. 25 = 5 x 5  This means grace intensified. Therefore, this year God's intense grace shall be further extended upon my life as I enter a new year, a new season, a new life with Christ.

Too many happenings; I'll pick a few...

I've had quite an interesting start of the year. It wasn't smooth sailing all the way. I struggled. I cried. I prayed. I surrendered. God was indeed present through it all. He showed me a better way. I had to forgo many personal choices and preference. It's always letting 'self' die in order for Christ to reign. When I could let go and let God, it seemed like Spring came. Certainly, spring came!

Firstly, I was able to teach piano around my place of stay and I had really lovely students! Then I was accepted on a masters programme in a prestigious University (not my first choice, but God's definite choice.) The next thing that took place was a holiday with my family in Europe! It was such a blessing from God (and I didn't know when was the next round I'll see them again.) Much as I was reluctant to shift to a new city, God made provision and He made it all easy and possible for me with much pushing and help provided. (You must be thinking, she's such a 'princess'! Oh yes, Papa does pamper me as well. I'm spoilt!) Anyway as things progressed, I got another summer job and that paid for my return flight to Malaysia. Ultimately, it was such a refreshing month spent back home with family and friends. 

God, goodness and all that follows...

Perhaps... I believe more in the thorns that pricks and hurts you compared to the beauty in the rose itself. Generally, I do believe the rose represents beauty and it is beautiful. As I grew older, I somehow believed and felt more of the thorns. There's nothing wrong with it. Knowing that thorns do exist brings us back to the reality of the rose itself. The thorns are not the main theme or subject; rather the rose. Throughout my life, the prophecies that I have received reflects a common theme: God's good plan and His goodness. The good plan is still in progress and it hasn't come to completion as I know. His goodness however, exists and lasts for a long long time whether or not we believe or experience it - it is real and it is there for us to tap into it. His perfect will displays His goodness. His perfect will, includes the rose as well as the thorns. Yet, they are all GOOD. I have to remind myself not to doubt God's goodness for the sole reason that He loves me, His heart and His thoughts are for me. Would you begin to believe that for yourself today?

Psalm 139:11-13 (NIV): If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

When all hope is gone, when life seems pitch black and the cross seems invisible; this verse says that darkness is as light to God. Even in the darkness His light shines and He will show us the way home...